Disposable absorbent articles have been commercially available for many years and have met with great success world wide. For example, continuing improvements to catamenial devices have freed women from much of the inconvenience of their monthly menstrual period. However, further improvements are still needed.
One class of catamenial device, interlabial pads, has the potential to provide even greater freedom from inconvenience because of their small size and reduced risk of leakage. Numerous attempts have been made in the past to produce an interlabial pad which would combine the best features of tampons and sanitary napkins while avoiding at least some of the disadvantages associated with each of these types of devices. Examples of such devices are described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,917,049 issued to Delaney on Dec. 15, 1959, U.S. Pat. No. 3,420,235 issued to Harmon on Jan. 7, 1969, U.S. Pat. No. 4,595,392 issued to Johnson, et al. on Jun. 17, 1986, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,074,855 and 5,336,208 issued to Rosenbluth, et al. on Dec. 24, 1991 and Aug. 9, 1994 respectively, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,484,429 issued to Vukos, et al. on Jan. 16, 1996. A commercially available interlabial device is the Fresh 'n Fit.RTM. Padette which is marketed by ATHENA Medical Corp. of Portland, Oreg. and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,983,873 and 4,175,561 issued to Hirschman on Oct. 5, 1976 and Nov. 27, 1979 respectively.
However, many of these devices have not met with great commercial success. There are drawbacks associated with all of the devices listed above. For example, the device described in the Delaney patent does not appear to be capable of easy insertion, due to the possibility of the layers of absorbent material opening up during insertion. The commercially available Padette product may cause wearer discomfort even if properly inserted. Also, the Padette product may not completely cover the urethra or the vaginal introitus and may not provide protection when a wearer squats. Thus, there is opportunity to provide an improved interlabial pad.
The walls of the interlabial space are quite convoluted with many folds and wrinkles. Thus, it is desirable to provide interlabial absorbent structures having flexibility such that the absorbent structure can conform, at least partially, to the walls of a wearer's interlabial space. Such conformity, particularly throughout a wide range of wearer motions, can result in improved retention of bodily fluids in the absorbent structure and less risk of leakage and staining of undergarments, clothing, or bedding.
Also, because the volume of the interlabial space is small, an interlabial device should be sized so as not to exert undue pressure on the walls thereof Otherwise, a wearer may experience discomfort due to improper sizing. Such sizing should also take into account the possibility that, when a fresh interlabial device is inserted, it may not be inserted in an optimal position for comfort.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide an interlabial absorbent structure with performance properties (such as wearer comfort, leakage resistance, and the like) equaling or exceeding those of contemporary interlabial devices. It is a further object of this invention to provide an interlabial absorbent structure that has sufficient flexibility to conform to the convoluted surface of a female wearer's interlabial space and remain in contact therewith throughout a wide range of wearer movements. It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an interlabial absorbent structure having a volume and mechanical properties such that the device exerts minimal pressure on the walls of a wearer's interlabial space (i.e. the inner surfaces of the labia minora and maxima).